Anti-Fertility Activity of Methanol Extract of Crude Seed Abrus precatorius (Jequirity)

摘要

The dried seeds of Abrus precatorius were powdered and they were extracted with petroleum ether, chloroform, methanol and water by Soxhelation. The extracts of four different solvent were subjected to phytochemical analysis which confirms the presence of chemical constituent like alkaloids, steroid, flavones, triterpenoids, proteins, amino acids etc. Among them steroids present in A. precatorius seeds are considered to be primarily responsible for the anti-fertility activity. The anti-fertility activity was done on adult female Wistar albino rats of weight 150-180 g. The dose of 10 mg/kg and 20 mg/kg was given to the female rats by homogenizing the extract with tween 80 and was dissolved in distilled water. The dose was prepared for all four extracts and were administered orally for 7 days and mated. Among them the methanol extract of dose 20 mg/kg showed the activity. The steroidal content present in the extracts shows the contraceptives activity which is compared with the stigmasterol and beta-sitosterol. This indicates that the basic metabolites from methanol extract would serve as potential anti-fertility activity on female rats.